


Force Skype Calls

by MistakenAngel



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Force Bond (Star Wars)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-18 16:35:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21830446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistakenAngel/pseuds/MistakenAngel
Summary: I'm honestly not sure how long I want this story, but it's a series of chapters of the growing love between Rey and Ben/Kylo Ren the way I imagine their conversations in the Force happened. I might follow up with a sequel story, I don't know. Let me know if you would like that, constant readers. As always, please vote, comment, and enjoy! ☺👍
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

Call #1

Rey's Pov

I have been on Athc-to training alongside Master Luke for a week, but I have been feeling _his_ presence nearly every day. I have felt it every day since I left him bleeding and wounded on Star Killer Base as it was breaking apart around us.

For the briefest second, I considered going back for him, but Finn and Chewie were urging me to get on board the Falcon before the planet broke up around us. I do not regret leaving him there to bleed out. He is a monster, nothing more.

But why do I sense him in my head? I know his presence well from when he practically mind raped me in that interrogation room, but I don't have the heart to tell Master Luke about this.

I am in my hut, about to go on my daily walk about the island when I _see_ him for the first time. He is on The Supremacy, being attended to by medical droids as they patch up the scar on his face. A scar I put there during our last encounter. Good, I'm glad he came out of our fight with a lasting reminder to not underestimate me.

He looks up, and our eyes meet. I do the first thing I can think of and shoot him with my blaster. I feel a dull ache in my abdomen as he doubles over in pain. My vision of him cuts off abruptly, and I go outside.

Master Luke comes running, as well as some temple caretakers who are chittering like mad that I put a hole in my hut. "Rey, what happened?! I heard shooting."

"Oh!" _Come on, Rey! Tell him something, anything to explain away you shooting a hole in your damn hut._ "I was cleaning my blaster, and it accidentally went off."

"Well, be more careful next time!" Master Luke grumbled and stalked off. I let out a deep breath that I didn't know I was holding, and go on my walk to clear my head. But it doesn't help, and I sleep that night fitfully, and wake up the next morning as tired as when I laid down...


	2. Call #2

Kylo's Pov...

I have been trying ever since the scavenger wounded me through the Force to block her out in my meditations. But to no avail, I still feel her there in my head. I feel so inadequate, so weak in my conflict that I'm scared to tell Snoke about any of this.

But then I think: Could Snoke be doing this? The girl is light years away. The effort would kill either of us if we made the effort ourselves to communicate. I hate my weakness. All because my father decided to act the hero in his last moments and ignite my lightsaber, just as I was handing it to him. Of course, killing him was stupid, but Snoke urged me on, assuring me that it was the only way to kill Ben Solo for good.

There was this...calmness? Understanding? Acceptance? No, I can't find the word to describe what passed between us in that second I ran my laser blade through his body. But my hands did not feel like my own. I felt possessed by Snoke's hands gripping mine and making that fatal, final move. The only thing I _do_ know is that he forgave me just as he died, caressing my face as the life left his eyes, and his body tumbled bonelessly off the thin service bridge.

Before I could think of reacting, Chewbacca, my father's best friend/servant shot me in the side before I could block the blast with my lightsaber...

🌹🌹🌹🌹

Rey's Pov...

I am just about to go to dinner with Chewie just outside the Falcon, when I see him standing on a bridge of The Supremacy, and he turns to face me.

He looks tired, there are dark circles under his eyes. A perverse part of me is glad that he is so unsettled, but another part of me is not so cruel. I want to reach out to him, for Leia's sake, no one else's. I could not care less about him, couldn't I?

"You're not doing this," He says calmly. "The effort would kill you. Can you see my surroundings? I can't see yours. Just you."

He says this last part so quietly that a shiver runs down my spine. Wait, what?! Oh _hell_ , no! I cannot _possibly_ find his voice in any way sexy. What is _wrong_ with me??

"I see a polished room, lights in the walls, and you," I answer. "Nothing else."

"Why is the Force connecting us?" He asks, a note of genuine curiosity in his voice.

"I...I do not know."

"Neither do I. Tell me where you are."

I retreat from him and say, "No. I'm not telling you that. Ever."

He chuckles, and says, "We'll see." Our connection cuts off abruptly, but not before I see glimpses of his recent nightmares, of him trying to prevent his hands from running his father through with his lightsaber, and failing every time. His anguish, my screams, and waking in a cold sweat before Chewie shoots him with his bow blaster. I feel my side ache from the shot, and a burning sensation of my face splitting open from being struck by a lightsaber.

I fall to my knees, crying and in pain. But it is not my pain but his. My gods, what manner of man is Kylo Ren, and why is the Force forcing me to care about this monster?


	3. Call #3

Rey's Pov...

Three days of restlessness, dreaming of _him_ , of his pain, and torment. Will it ever end, this bond between us? I have been trying so hard to shut it off, to keep this location from him, but I feel my previous control slipping away.

During the day I can keep busy with training, with learning how to swim in the lagoons and sometimes the ocean around the islands when the weather gets warm. When Master Luke gets impatient with my training progress, I lay out in the sun and get a tan. I exercise, I read the sacred texts, or some other literature on the holo reader in the Falcon. Han Solo has an extensive library, apparently, but he loved adventure stories the best, which does not surprise me.

But at night, that is when I feel Kylo Ren around me the most. When I'm about to either go have dinner, or getting ready for bed. We connect nearly every day, but we only catch flashes of each other.

Tonight, though, tonight is going to be one of those times that we will actually speak...

🌹🌹🌹

Kylo's Pov...

The girl again..Yes, I feel her again. I take on my duties on the supremacy to block her out, but she sometimes catches me throughout my day. I catch her training with my Uncle, of her swims in the ocean, suntanning on the beach...with nothing on. I can block out the connection after that, but not before needing to take a damn cold shower.

She may be my enemy, she may be loyal to the Resistance, but I'm still a man, damn it. No, I cannot think of her in _that_ way. But at night, yes, at night that is when I cannot completely block her out.

Clearly, the planet she is on is lush and tropical in some places, rocky and cold in others. It feels...familiar to me somehow, like I have been there before. I'm trying to wrack my brain for when in my life I have been to such a place; if it was in my childhood, I blocked a lot of those memories out to keep my sanity intact.

I know that when I interrogated her on Star Killer Base, she had visions of this place. I no longer care about finding my Uncle, but curiosity makes me want to know where the scavenger is...

🌹🌹🌹🌹

She is in her hut when the connection opens up completely and she just came in from a bath, because her hair and body are wrapped in dark blue towels.

Our eyes meet and she gasps, "Oh my gods! Could you like... _knock_ or something?! I'm..I'm in a towel!"

It's on the tip of my tongue to say that I have already seen her naked, but I say nothing and laugh. "You pig! It's..." She blushes beet red. "It's _not_ funny. You have no right to look at me so...well, like this."

"Rey, it's alright," I say, grinning. "I'll turn around." She breathes a sigh of relief, but I peek at her taking off the towel to reveal her fit, compact figure. Her breast wraps conceal nice, firm breasts above a slender waist, hard abs, and slightly curvy hips. I turn back around, trying to still my breathing.

 _Gods_ , _is_ _the_ _girl_ _even_ _aware_ _that_ _she_ _has_ _a_ _lithe_ , _hot_ _body_? _Shit_ , _what_ _is_ _wrong_ _with_ _me_? _I cannot think of her like this._ I hear a rustle of clothing and she says, "Okay, you can turn around now, perv. Gods, how would you like it if I peeked in on _you_ after a bath?"

"Umm...I can't deny that I wouldn't mind," I say truthfully.

Rey rolls her eyes in annoyance. "Men."

"Prudish Jedi."  
"Hedonistic Sith."  
"Modest little girl."

"Sex fiend." Rey blushes at this, and I openly laugh at her discomfiture. "Okay, 'little girl,' is better than being called 'scavenger,' monster."

"You shouldn't knock what you haven't tried," I tease further. "And you're right, I am a monster. But I am what my life has shaped me to be, Rey. Now, you turn around, because I am going to get ready for bed."

Rey blushes, and turns around on her bed, and I unlace my boots, and take off my uniform. I know she is sneaking little peeks and I grin. If she wants to look so bad, I will let her. No woman has complained of my appearance before, in my experience. I put on a black tank top and tuck it into black silk pants. I usually wear thin sweat pants to bed, because First Order ships are so cold, but the silk will make her more uncomfortable, so I put those on, no socks or shoes.

"You can turn around now," I inform her. She takes in my appearance and swallows thickly. I sit on my bed, which is considerably bigger than hers, and cross my legs Indian style.

She unwraps her towel turban and dries her now shoulder length hair. I cannot deny that it's an improvement, her hair was much too short before. "Now that we're done insulting each other, can we talk about the nightmares?" She gets right to the point. "About your father, and how you tried to save him?"

I sigh, and tell her about the dreams, and how it actually happened that day. How I really did intend to hand my father my lightsaber and go with him. Rey's eyes widen in shock at my confession, and my memories of everything I thought and felt.

She starts to cry and says bitterly, "That _monster_. But you still resented Han for his neglect of you. Why did you not try to explain that to me later when we fought on Star Killer Base? Why did you make me believe you...you _enjoyed_ killing your father?"

I sigh. "Because a part of me _did_ , Rey. I love my parents, but they never had time for me. They sent me to train with my Uncle, because they were scared of my abilities, and he tried to kill me as well."

I flood her mind with memories of all of this, and by the end of it we're both crying. "Ben, I'm...I'm so _so_ sorry. I can't pretend to understand why you have done all that you have done, but...but I cannot judge you. I have done regretful things too to survive."

She shares her memories of what she had to do to survive, and before we know it, we're holding each other in a pretzel hug. My leg draped over hers, our arms around each other. Sparks and tingles go up and down my body as we hold each other. Sleep overtakes me soon after, and I wake up alone in my cold bed, the connection broken..For now...


	4. Call #4

Rey's Pov...

We are both plagued by the question "why?" But me most especially. I should be wanting to fire my blaster at Kylo Ren every time we speak. But I don't. He is a killer, he has hurt the Resistance, and he invaded my mind cruelly and held me prisoner in that damn restraint chair.

But why are we talking so much? If Snoke did not create this bond...No, I really do not want to think of the possibility that it is _us_. The last time we spoke, we ended up in each other's arms. I actually _liked_ his arms holding me as I slept, the scent of him lingering on my sheets when I woke up the next morning. Why did I feel so cold and alone without those strong arms? Why did I cry?

I think Master Luke is getting suspicious of us. I am just as dedicated to my lessons as ever, my lightsaber skills are improving, but then I catch flashes of Kylo in a meeting, in training, trying desperately to get a good night's rest. I find myself going to _his_ bed, and wrapping my arms around him. He kisses my hands and falls right to sleep, and my heart leaps at the gentle contact.

We never speak during those times, we just revel in each other's presence. But we're both irritated by not being able to control this...bond...thing that is happening to us. Lately, he does not want to talk, but he needs to, and this is one of those times that we do...

🌹🌹🌹

"I would rather not do this right now," I say, somewhat peevishly to have the connection suddenly open up.

"Yeah, me neither," He says, sighing. It is then that I realize he is wearing only pants, no shirt. My cheeks redden and I want to be anywhere but here.

I'm also damned embarrassed to admit it, but he looks...well, good, actually. No, I should _not_ be thinking of him like this.

I look at the floor and say, "Isn't there like...a cowl, or _something_ you could put on?" _No, please don't make me look at your half naked body, please god's no!_

I do not get my wish, because he walks over to me, and tilts my chin to look into his dark brown eyes. "Rey. _Look_ at me." I do, and y heart speeds up as I see a million emotions play across his handsome face. "Am I really so repulsive to you?"

"Well...No, but..But we can't keep doing this!" I blurt out. I indicate between the two of us with my hand, "Whatever is happening between us...it's not possible. We're on opposite sides of this war, and...and you're a killer, and...I...hate you."

He raises his eyebrows and asks, "Do you, Rey? Do you really? Believe me, I want to hate you. I do." He shakes his head and sits down on my bed without asking. "But I no longer do. So, let's try something." He pats the empty space on my cot, and sighs. "Please don't make force you."

I roll my eyes and take off my simple boots so I don't dirty my thick blankets. I sit opposite him. "Now, what? We play twenty questions?"

He chuckles. "No, you prove to me that you hate me right now by not letting me do this." He scoots over to grab my hand. Electricity shoots up my arm as he gently lifts my hand to kiss it.

 _Okay, Rey. Here's your chance to prove you don't in any way like or want him. Slap him!_ I find myself scooting closer to him, and taking his other hand in mine, instead. It's so callused from hard training, from battle, and yet they're beautiful hands. No, no, no! I lace my fingers through his fingers and he keeps his eyes on me as he kisses my inner wrist. My breathing hitches as his lips make contact with my skin.

He stops, and grins knowingly. "Yeah, that's what I thought. So, if you don't hate me, and I don't hate you, what does that make us, Rey? I genuinely want to know."

"A...a friend?"

Ben smiles, and my heart constricts at the sight. Oh, no. I can handle any torture but what is happening as our faces are inches apart. He caresses my cheek softly, a look of naked longing in his eyes. I touch his cleanshaven cheek, and find myself leaning towards him.

"Rey...I..." He whispers, uncertain now, almost shy.

"Ben, I..." _help me, please._

 _"_ I know." He bridges the distance between our lips, and they meet. It is a chaste kiss, but my heart flutters as he pulls away from me, a question in his eyes. It is at this moment that I need to pull away, and part of him wants me to, desperately.

It is him who pulls away and stands up, beginning to pace restlessly. He puts a hand on a wall to steady himself, breathing heavily. _Stay put, Rey. Don't you dare go to him._

Against my better judgment, I get up, and wrap my arms around his chest. We stand here like this for a long time, before he turns to face me, and he wraps his hands around my waist, pulling me close. I put my hands on his naked chest. Our hearts are beating fast now as we stare into each other's eyes.

"We shouldn't be doing this," He whispers, agreeing with me. "And I should not want to do this."

Before I can ask him what he means, his mouth crashes into mine. I feel sparks jump between us as he teases my lips with his tongue. I gasp at the sensation and his tongue enters my mouth, exploring it deeply. I try to fight him now, but all I'm doing issnaking my arms around his neck, and kissing him back. His hands roam up and down my body as he kisses me, and I can literally feel him go hard for me between my legs as he cups my ass and begins grinding on me.

We break for air, and he says, hoarsely. "You're so lucky I'm not here. You...damn, you feel good." The rest goes unspoken but I hear it clear in my mind: _I want you, Rey. So bad it hurts._ I then realize he has wanted me since the moment we met.

He doesn't move to touch or kiss me again, but my heart is fluttering at his words. I can't form words right now as I try to get my breathing under control. When I do, I say, "I..I want you too. I shouldn't but it--"

"Feels right," We say in unison.

"That's what scares me, Rey. I usually go into an affair with my eyes wide open. We both know it's not a permanent thing, that it's casual, but with you..." He trails off, shaking his head. "This is uncharted territory for me, and that unsettles me. Why do you say nothing?"

I sigh, and take his hands in mine, but I stand apart from him. "What do you _want_ me to say, Ben? I don't know what I'm feeling besides that I want and like you more than I should. I don't even know what would have happened just now if you were really here, only that what we're doing is dangerous."

"It is, but do you really want to go back to what we were to each other?" He asks.

"No," I say.

He smiles then, a genuine one, and says, "Good, that's all I wanted to know, Rey." He leads me over to my bed, and gathers me into his arms. He kisses the top of my head, and my cheek as I turn out my lamp with the Force.

"Ben?" I ask after a time.  
"Hmm?"

"Could we..do you think," I say shyly, "We could _ever_ be like this, in person?"

Ben sighs deeply. "If we don't try to kill each other first? I think we could." He turns my face towards his, and his lips find mine in the dark. We kiss deeply for a moment before he whispers, "Good night, scavenger." I fall asleep soon after, and when I wake up, it is like every night: alone in my cold bed. Only my lips are slightly swollen due to his kisses, and foot imprints in my hut of him pacing tell me that last night was real, and I wasn't dreaming...


	5. Call #5

Kylo's Pov...

I wake up to a cold bed. Again. Fuck. I punch one of my other pillows in sheer frustration. The First Order is moving up their plans to attack the Resistance base on D'Qar, I should be focused completely on that, but no, I'm still talking with _her,_ and in our last open Force conversation I _kissed_ her. I had been honestly curious to see if she actually would let me kiss her, but gods, when I felt the touch of her tongue touch mine...we were both fortunate that I had not been physically there, or we would have been doing a lot more than kissing.

We need to stop this. Now. I cannot afford to be distracted by Rey. But in that time, at that moment, there was no where I wanted to be than there. A grin wreathes my lips. Athc-to, yes, I finally know where she is, just not where it is on the holo maps.

But it no longer matters where my Uncle is. Snoke no longer seems to care, he just wants to turn Rey to the darkside for his own evil uses. I take out my grandfather's burnt helmet on top of some of his ashes, and plead with his Force ghost to show me the true dark path again. It is the prayer of every Ren Knight, I suppose, only I have the honor of possessing his helmet. Rey has his blue lightsaber, which I tried to acquire on Star Killer Base, only it _chose_ her.

Just as I am about to give up on my meditations I feel my grandfather's presence. My heart leaps in anticipation of speaking with Vader.

Only it is Anakin, his Jedi self. He materializes and says, "Go to her. You know where she is, Ben. Please don't make the same mistakes I did and crave power over the love of your wife."

My head snaps around to face his blue ghostly shape. I have only seen holo pictures of him in a family album my mother keeps with her always. His face looks like my Uncle's, my mother's, and mine mixed together, although his tousled hair is a sandy brown, though he has my Uncle's eyes.

"I hardly think Rey is important enough to be called _that_ , grandfather," I say with more sarcasm than I mean. "Please show me the true path to the dark to finish what you started. I can do it, I just need your guidance."

Anakin frowned, and shook his head. "No. I have shown you enough, and it destroyed your father. You will _not_ destroy my daughter and your wife. I want you to go to Reyna. Love her, form a new Jedi order not aligned to either the dark or lightside of the Force.

"It is your destiny to fulfill the prophecy to bring balance to the Force. I thought it was me, but my killing Emperor Palpatine only left room for a new regime to start where the old Empire left off."

I try to process my grandfather's words and all I can ask is, "Is Snoke creating this bond between me and Rey? I want to stop it to--"

"To what? Bring the galaxy into utter darkness? No, Ben. He believes himself to be the bridge between your minds, but it is the two of you who are bonded through the Force itself. It cannot be stopped. Go to her." Anakin touches my forehead, and the exact location comes into my mind.

He steps away from me, and fades into the netherworld of the Force. Vader's mask crumbles to dust, until there is nothing left but ashes.

A great sorrow fills my heart at seeing the mask crumble into nothingness. It is as if a part of my life has been cauterized away, leaving me with this blank slate; that is when the connection opens and I am in Rey's hut mourning the loss of my old life, the life I thought would hold all the answers, and it turned out left me nothing but dead inside...

🌹🌹🌹

Rey finds me sobbing and the sharp rebuke that was on her lips dies when she sees how devastated I am. I feel her arms snake around me, and without a word, I cling to her like a child.

She rocks me, and when I finally calm down, she asks softly, "Ben, whatever it is, you can tell me. Just don't shut me out."

I caress her cheek, and flood her mind of memories of my earlier conversation with my grandfather. When I'm done shaing, I try to remove my hand, but she kisses it, crying as well, feeling my loss as her own.

"Is...Is it true that you cannot reach the darkside any more?" She asks. I nod my head. Gods know that I have tried, and now with Vader's mask destroyed...nothing, only that blank slate.

"Kylo Ren is dead, Rey," I say, knowing it to be the truth. "But if we meet, I may have to pretend that I am him to Snoke, to the First Order. Do you understand?"

Rey nods. "I do. But we could leave it all behind. The Resistance, First Order, all of it. Destroy the evil of the Empire to bring balance to the Force, through _us_." I see her lightly touch her stomach, and my eyes widen.

"Would you...if we did this...would you really consider being..." I cannot find the words, and through the Force, we don't need to. _My wife, my love, the mother of my children..._ The thoughts were clearly spoken to the both of us.

"Only if..." Rey blushes, and I tilt her chin to meet my eyes. "Only if we are loyal to each other, Ben. If you will have me."

I fall at her feet, and look up at Rey standing over me. "Yes. Gods, Rey. You are all that remain to me. Whatever I am, and whatever is left of my pathetic excuse for a soul, is yours. Is that enough for you?"

Rey's eyes water at my words, and she sinks to her feet before me. "Yes. Oh, Ben, I--"

I place a finger on her lips, and shake my head. "Say it to me in person if you must. I _feel_ it," I take her hand and place it over my heart. "You don't need to say it."

Rey leads me by the hand to her bed, and says, "Okay, I won't. But this still scares me, this connection, us, even you knowing where I am scares me. I never showed this location to you. Was it Anakin?"

I nod my head. She relaxes visibly, relieved. "Good. I need to see you, Ben."

I get up to pace and think. No, it wouldn't be safe for either of us. Oh, gods! If Snoke knew!

"Rey, it wouldn't be safe. You would put your friends' entire mission in jeopardy if you come aboard The Supremacy."

Rey shakes her head angrily. "I don't _care,_ Ben! I'm tired of only partially feeling you near me. If we're meant to be together, standing together, then we need to _stand_ together. If Snoke is on the supremacy, we can destroy him together."

"So long as the resistance is spared?" I ask, sensing that as the big caveat here.

"Well...they _are_ my friends.." I don't want to help an organization that represents the entire dysfunction of my family, but if I am going to honor my newfound loyalty to Rey, I had no choice.

"Very well," I decide. "But we cannot make it look like we helped them escape to wherever they plan on rendezvousing next."

Rey beams with happiness as she flings her arms around me, giggling. "Soo, does that mean I can come see you?"

I smile, winking. "As if I could stop you. Just follow my lead, whatever happens. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good." I yawn, and start to undress for bed. In reality, I am in my quarters, so all I am doing is scattering my boots and uniform everywhere on the floor. Rey begins to get ready for bed as well, and she watches me unbuckle and unwrap my arm bands as the last thing I do before I can take off my upper robe and undershirt, which is a black tank top, usually.

We watch each other get undressed, but give each other privacy when it comes to bathing and getting naked. Now is not the time for that. We finish up getting ready for bed, and cuddle under the sheets.

I turn off the light on my nightstand, and Rey snuggles into me. "Mmm...Your bed is so much more comfy than mine," She murmurs. "No more cots in my future, that's an order."

I chuckle and we face each other in bed. "Duly noted."

I run a damp wavy strand of her hair between my fingers, and run my knuckles down her face. She has fallen asleep, but I cannot stop staring at her beauty. It is a natural, earthy kind of beauty, nothing like the polished, pale, statuesque types of women I'm usually attracted to. But then again, I have never been in love before, either.

My eyes widen at the sudden realization: _I'm in love with her._ I kiss her lips softly and say to her through the Force, " _I love you, Rey."_ I go to sleep then, and sleep content, for the first time in...well, ever...

_Two hearts beating_

_One beats, the other_   
_While the other just looks away_   
_Two hearts dreaming nightmares together_   
_Leaving nothing more,_   
_Nothing left to say_   
_Replacing every part of me_   
_That's in between the she's_   
_The promise just a shade of gray._   
_Between the darkness and the light..._


	6. Call #6

Rey's Pov...

I hate being so secretive with Master Luke. I have been talking to Ben for five months and seeing him nearly every day in flashes. We always are able to either sleep in each other's beds, or we talk and sometimes make out. It is getting harder and harder to hide this connection from Master Luke, and I know my evasiveness is really starting to grate on his nerves.

"Something is troubling you, Rey," Luke asks one morning, after our meditation in the main temple. "I have been feeling it for months now, and it seems to be growing in intensity. Whatever it is, you know you can tell me, right?"

We are sitting at breakfast, and I pale at his intense gaze. "Well...in my meditations I sometimes get glimpses of the First Order's plans from B--Kylo Ren," I say half-truthfully, "Ever since he interrogated me and used the Force to try to locate this planet...well, it's like we sometimes connect."

Master Luke sighs sadly, and says nothing for a long time. He paces in a very Ben-like manner. Han never paced in the brief time I knew him, so he must have picked up the quirk from Luke.

"I think you either won't tell me the whole truth, or feel that you can't," He finally says solemnly. "Either way, I would suggest you train to block this connection you have to him. He is dangerous, Rey, unstable. I know you think you can help him, but he is too filled with the darkside of the Force to listen to anyone, or accept help."

I know that I should just shut up and take his rebuke like the good padawan I should be, but a fierce desire to protect Ben comes over me. I snap, "Is that why you have fled to this planet? Because of guilt...or cowardice? Which was it?"

"Rey," Master Luke warns angrily, "I don't know where you got your information, but I did all I could to help Ben. He was erratic even as a boy, and--"

I cross my arms across my chest and stare up at him as he paces. "You felt like trying to kill him in his hut was the best solution. Only a coward thinks this way. Did you _ever_ stop to think that Ben needed someone to talk to, as a friend, not just as his teacher and Uncle?!"

I'm practically shouting at this point, and do not notice Master Luke's astonished expression on his face. "My gods, Rey. You speak as if you... _care_ for him. Do you?"

"You have _no_ right to ask that of me," I say defiantly. "Not any more. I'm going down to the beach. Don't you dare follow me."

It is when the sun starts to go down is when I feel Ben's presence along the shoreline...

🌹🌹🌹🌹

I am bathing in the ocean, and go beet red when I feel the connection open. I stay out up to my waist in the waves, and pray that I can get out of the water without him noticing that I'm naked. He's still watching me. Yeah, no such luck; this is really not my day. I get out, and pick up my towel to dry off.

"I'm not in a good mood right now," I warn. "I came out here to swim and clear my head because Luke confronted me about you."

He frowns. "What did you tell him?" I touch his forehead and release my memories of earlier.

He swears under his breath, and says, "Ah, well, it's to be expected. I had a feeling that he would begin to have his suspicions about this bond we share. If you're wondering if I'm angry about that, the answer is no. I've been under a lot of stress as well, so you're in good company."

"Hux? This D'qar mission?"  
Ben sighs. "Among other things, yes. But being around you is not one of them. Let's go back to your hut, you're cold and the nights get chilly here."

We walk back hand in hand, and I start a fire. I get changed into night thermals and start to brush out my hair when Ben says, "Allow me."

I hand him my brush and I chuckle. "What's so funny?"

"The great Kylo Ren brushing my hair." He chuckles quietly, and begins braiding it in a braid I've never worn my hair in before. He kneels in front of me and takes out a few strands of my hair to frame my face, and curls them slightly with the brush.

"There. You look beautiful. Do you have a mirror?" He asks. I point to my traveling bag, and he puts my brush back in, and hands me the mirror to incline it towards the back so I can see.

My eyes widen. He was so gentle with the braiding, and yet he managed to braid my shoulder blade length hair into a single, elaborate braid. He tied it with hair ties and it looks amazing. "Your mother sometimes braids her hair in this style," I say.

"Yes. Her hair has always been long and beautiful," Ben says fondly, "My father used to tease me about how 'soft,' I secretly was in loving to style my mother's hair, but it was a way for me to bond with her, so I ignored his stupid mocking jokes."

"That's horrible."

"It's alright, Rey. My past is not a pretty set of memories. I blocked most of it out trying to live up to my family's legacy, to my grandfather, whose Force ghost in the end, gave me the strength to come back from the darkness. For you."

I smile at the shared memories, and blush. "But wasn't he jumping the gun a little bit with him calling me your...wife? That seemed very impulsive."

Ben wraps an arm around my waist and whispers in my ear softly, "Would you like to be? Should we make it through this war?"

I turn to face him, and the love I see shining in his eyes humbles me. "I..Ben..Do you _really_ mean that?"

"You know I do."

"I.." I lean towards him until our faces are inches apart.

"Yes, Ben," I breathe.

"Oh, Rey," He breathes, and it is when our lips touch that Master Luke catches us, and yells, "STOP!!" Ben breaks the kiss and we stare at the Jedi Master in horror.

The connection breaks and Master Luke is looking at me with naked horror on his face. I am so shaken by this abrupt, violent disruption in the Force that I don't know Luke is pulling me outside into pouring down rain, and demanding answers.

"What did you say 'yes' to?!"  
"I..He p--proposed, M--master. I...I love him. We..."

"How long, Rey?!" Luke demands harshly. I see him fingering his lightsaber, and I'm suddenly terrified that he will try to kill me. "How long has he been filling your head with his evil, and drawing you into the darkside? How _long_?!"

"Ever since I got here, but I never gave him this location, and I never intended..neither of us did, to feel this way for each other," I explain angrily. _How dare he make me explain myself!_ "We tried to fight it, to block this, and then your father's Force ghost came to Kylo Ren and killed him."

I feed him my shared memories through Ben's point of view, and Luke falls back, stunned into silence. "I want you to go back to the resistance, Rey. Help your friends, and the galaxy in destroying the First Order. I cannot train you any more."

I start to cry, but I'm also seriously pissed off at Master Luke for quitting on me like almost everyone has in my life. I expected better from him. "I just want to know why you felt the need to kill Ben that night."

Master Luke's anger fades and he slumps against the side of my hut ashamed. We go inside my hut where it's warm, and he explains, "I sensed what Snoke was doing early on, wooing my nephew, and promising the galaxy, anything to get Ben to turn to the darkside. He began getting disruptive in class, sneaking off with girls, that kind of thing. That night, I sensed the darkside flowing the strongest I ever felt in anyone, save my father, Darth Vader. I sneaked into his hut, and thought of ending his life quickly by lightsaber. I didn't kill him, but he attacked me, and destroyed the temple, killing most of the students in the process."

I understood Luke's fear, but Ben was a boy, a neglected, lonely, quiet boy who only wanted to be accepted and loved. No, my loyalties belong to Ben, I decide. He is my fiance and that is all that matters. "I understand, Master Luke. But my loyalties lie with him now and my friends. I have to go to him."

"This will not go the way you think, Rey," Master Luke says, as I pack my meager belongings. "Please stay here to finish your training."

I get up and head to the door, but turn to face Master Luke, my mind made up. "No. Even if Snoke kills me, I have to be there for Ben. He needs that level of loyalty in his life. Now, let me go."

Master Luke sighs. "Then may the Force be with you, Rey."

"You too, Master Luke." I head out into the rain, and wrap my cloak around me for warmth as I make my way to the Millenium Falcon. When I get there, I explain what I can to Chewie, and he agrees that we need to leave. The faster the better.

I bid a silent farewell to Ahc-to as we leave the island planet's atmosphere. I pray that one day I can come back to see it with Ben by my side, and the First Order a mere footnote in the pages of history on the holo drives...


	7. Call #7

Kylo's Pov...

I have only ever seen my Uncle so enraged when he was poised to strike me down with his lightsaber in that hut. I was scared for Rey, as my Uncle only ever showed his kind, caring side to her before this. I tried actively meditating to open up the connection again to see if she was alright, but to no avail. She has left Athc-to in any case.

Over the next two weeks, things have been hectic with the First Order. Endless meetings, duties, and me trying like hell to not kill Hux in the process. Training helps, it helps a lot with the stress, so does working out.

With the attacks underway in attacking D'qar, I am comforted with how close Rey is. But like me, she is held up in endless meetings, and only the foot soldiers seem to be on the base. The rest of them are on the huge cruisers, and transport ships fleeing to...I try to pick up Rey's thoughts. Damn it! Her skills in blocking her mind certainly have improved.

After half an hour of trying, I give up, and take a shower to change into night clothes. I then get a beep on my holo com that lets me know Hux or some other high officer needs to inform me of something. I dry off, wrap a towel around my hips and push the com button.

"Yes?" I ask impatiently. This had better be damned important, I wanted a good night's sleep for a change.

Hux's voice comes over the speakers, excited, "We have just found out the rebel's next target from that spy we have in place! They plan on fleeing to Crait and we can track them through hyperspace. Isn't that just awesome news, Ren?"

I knew that Snoke was excited about testing this new device on one of their ships, but I didn't think he had the particulars ironed out yet to implement it. Guess I was wrong. I sigh. I much prefer angry, sullen Hux to happy, bubbly Hux any day of the week. It's worse when he drinks, he is a giggly, happy drunk.

"Yes, that's wonderful news, General," I say, bored. "Is there something you needed or is this merely a social call? I informed my stormtroopers that I was not to be disturbed unless it was an emergency."

Hux sighs in exasperation, "Oh, very well, yes, there was. Snoke wishes for you to be at the forefront in attacking the main resistance cruisers. They say that General Organa is aboard. He would like you to kill her personally. A sort of 'poetic justice,' as he called it. But tonight, some of the officers want to celebrate by going out for drinks on Cantobite. What do you say, Ren?"

🌹🌹🌹🌹

I suddenly feel the Force connection open up, and Rey's presence in the room with me. She is staring at me, mouth a big O of astonishment. I look at her and mouth, 'Do you fancy a trip to Cantobite?* I will be there.'

(A.N. : Okay, I _know_ this doesn't happen in the movie, but whatever, I like the idea of Ben and Rey meeting up at a fancy party..)

'I will probably have to go with Finn or whoever to make it less obvious, but we need to hire a code breaker for that hyperspace tracker someone placed on one of our ships,' Rey mouths.

"I will be there. But no uniforms, we don't want to scare the civilians," I order.

Hux chuckles over the coms. "I wasn't planning on it. But I'm shocked that you're coming, you normally hate parties."

I wink down at Rey, who has wrapped her arms around my waist and resting her head on my chest. She looks up and grins, winking. "Yes, well, we can't work all the time, now can we? I'll see you in a little while, General. Let me get changed."

"Fine. If you don't show up in the launch bay, I owe Phasma twenty credits. But she has faith in you." Hux chuckles and the coms switch off.

"So, do you have anything nice to wear to this planet?" I ask Rey. "The people there are snooty and it's black tie invite only."

Rey blushes and shakes her head. I nod my head and duck into my closet. I pretty much wear the same set of black uniforms every day, but I do own some suits. I take out a labeled suit bag. I smile. I know Rey will like this suit, so I hang it on the hook on the closet door.

"Just how fancy _is_ this place, Ben?" Rey asks, shifting from one foot to the next, looking nervous all of a sudden. "We're not talking suits and gowns are we? I've...I've never been to a party like that, I wouldn't know what to do or say."

I grin and say, "It will be fine. I think sometimes that the casino has a masquerade theme, but I'm sure you can borrow one of my mother's old gowns, she has always been petite like you." 

Rey looks about my quarters and sits on the edge of my bed, her legs dangling. "I'll ask her. Do you want me to go while you...umm, get ready?"

I look down at my towel and laugh. "If you like. I've seen you naked, it wouldn't bother me as it did you."

Rey laughs. "It's not like we could, well, do anything if I did see you naked."

I roll my eyes, and hang up my towel. Rey's eyes widen like saucers and she blushes scarlet red. "Oh..oh _my_. Yeah, I think...yep, I think I will go talk to your mom about a dress. I'll see you there."

The connection ends, and I laugh as I get ready to go. I meet Hux, Phasma, and a few other officers in the launch bay. Phasma is dressed in a lovely plum gown that is just off the shoulders, and I notice that she is actually quite pretty underneath all of that chrome stormtrooper armor. Who knew? I don't really care, I'm going to see Rey, that is my only reason for even agreeing to go to this snobby party.

Hux is applauding and grinning. "I guess you have to cough up the credits, Gwen, seeing as Ren decided to show up, after all."

Phasma reaches inside a little silver beaded purse, and hands Hux the credits. "Oh, hush, Armitage!" She scolds, "You can use the credits to gamble at craps or whatever, stop teasing Ren, he cleans up good."

"Thank you, Captain," I say, grinning. "I _do_ have more things to wear besides uniforms and cloaks. Now, let's go, before I change my mind."

We board the cruiser, my nice sleek black one, and I fly it as well, mostly to escape happy, bubbly Hux. Eww. Yeah, I'm not looking forward to being around Hux and Phasma when they get to drinking, they get a bit lovey dovey and flirty with each other. I could be a real asshole and report their forbidden affair to Snoke, but I don't, because my relationship with Rey is even more forbidden.

We jump into hyperspace and as soon as we arrive, I feel Rey's presence. She is so close I can almost touch her. _Get a hold of yourself, Ben. You will see her soon enough._ Yes, soon enough I will see Rey, and we will see how the evening pans out for us both...

The End


End file.
